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Overview

Synopsis

Semele鈥檚 father, the King of Thebes, has arranged a marriage for her with Athamas, a Prince of Boeotia. But Semele has no desire to marry Athamas. She desperately prays to Jupiter for his help to escape this arranged marriage. Jupiter appears as a vast thunderstorm and destroys the temple, before transforming into an eagle and taking Semele to live with him. With Jupiter, Semele lives a life of endless pleasure and love.

Jupiter鈥檚 wife, Juno, has had quite enough of his affairs. This time, she means to get her revenge against Jupiter. Disguising herself as Semele鈥檚 sister, she uses Semele鈥檚 vanity and pride to her advantage. She shows Semele a vision of herself as immortal, and tells her that she will be able to achieve immortality if she only looks on Jupiter in his true form. Semele demands that Jupiter reveals himself to her, and he is forced to obey, knowing that it will kill her. A baby is born out of Semele鈥檚 ashes, who will become Bacchus, the god of wine and ecstacy.

Originally created as a secular oratorio, Handel鈥檚 Semele is now widely accepted as a work of operatic genius rivalling the successes of his Italian operas such as Alcina and Giulio Cesare.

Show Information

Music
George Frederic Handel
Libretto
William Congreve
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Ovid's Metamorphosis
Category
Opera
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1744
Genres
Romance, Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Tragedy, Historical/Biographical
Settings
Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings, Period
Time & Place
Antiquity, Ancient Times, Temple of Juno, Somnus's Cave, Olympus, Thebes, Cithaeron
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Small
Dancing
Optional
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Jupiter

Lead

Male

Tenor

Semele

Lead

Female

Soprano

Ino

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto

Juno

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto

Cadmus

Supporting

Male

Bass

Athamas

Supporting

Male

Countertenor, Contralto

Somnus

Supporting

Male

Bass

Iris

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Apollo

Featured

Male

Tenor

High Priest of Juno

Featured

Male

Bass

Chorus

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Tenor, Bass, Contralto

Songs

Act 1

Scene 1

  • No. 1 Overture
  • No. 2 Recitative 鈥楤ehold! Auspicious flames arise鈥� - Priest (Cadmus)
  • No. 3 Chorus 鈥楲ucky omens鈥� - Chorus
  • No. 4 Recitative 鈥楧aughter, obey鈥� - Cadmus, Athamas
  • No. 5 Recitative 鈥楢h me! What refuge is now left me?鈥� - Semele
  • No. 5 (cont.) Aria 鈥極 Jove! In pity teach me鈥� - Semele
  • No. 6 Aria 鈥楾he morning lark鈥� - Semele
  • No. 7 Recitative 鈥楽ee, she blushing turns her eyes鈥� - Athamas
  • No. 8 Aria 鈥楬ymen, haste!鈥� - Athamas
  • No. 9 Recitative 鈥楢las! She yields鈥� - Ino, Athamas, Semele
  • No. 10 Quartet 鈥榃hy dost thou thus untimely grieve鈥� - Cadmus, Ino, Athamas, Semele
  • No. 11 Chorus 鈥楢vert these omens, all ye powers!鈥� - Chorus
  • No. 12 Recitative 鈥楢gain auspicious flames arise鈥� - Cadmus
  • No. 13 Recitative 鈥楾hy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores!鈥� - Athamas, Semele
  • No. 14 Chorus 鈥楥ease, cease your vows鈥� - Chorus

Scene 2

  • No. 15 Recitative 鈥極 Athamas, what torture has thou borne!鈥� - Ino
  • No. 16 Aria 鈥楾urn, hopeless lover鈥� - Ino
  • No. 17 Recitative 鈥楽he weeps!鈥� - Athamas
  • No. 18 Aria 鈥榊our tuneful voice my tale would tell鈥� - Athamas
  • No. 19 Recitative 鈥楾oo well I see鈥� - Ino, Athamas
  • No. 20 Duet 鈥榊ou鈥檝e undone me鈥� - Ino, Athamas

Scene 3

  • No. 21 Recitative 鈥楢h, wretched prince鈥� - Cadmus, Athamas, Ino

Scene 4

Act 2

  • No. 24 Sinfonia

Scene 1

Scene 2

  • No. 30 Aria 鈥極h, sleep, why dost thou leave me?鈥� - Semele

Scene 3

  • No. 31 Recitative 鈥楲et me not another moment鈥� - Semele
  • No. 32 Aria 鈥楲ay your doubts and fears aside鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 33 Recitative 鈥榊ou are mortal and require鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 34 Aria 鈥榃ith hope desiring鈥� - Semele
  • No. 35 Chorus 鈥楬ow engaging, how endearing鈥� - Chorus
  • No. 36 Recitative 鈥楢h me鈥� - Semele, Jupiter
  • No. 37 Aria 鈥業 must with speed amuse her鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 38 Chorus 鈥楴ow Love, that everlasting boy鈥� - Chorus
  • No. 39 Recitative 鈥楤y my command鈥� - Jupiter, Semele
  • No. 40 Aria 鈥榃here鈥檈r you walk鈥� - Jupiter

Scene 4

  • No. 41 Recitative 鈥楧ear sister, how was your passage hither?鈥� - Semele, Ino
  • No. 42 Aria 鈥楤ut hark! The heavenly sphere鈥� - Ino
  • No. 43 Duet 鈥楶repare then, ye immortal choir!鈥� - Semele, Ino
  • No. 44 Chorus 'Bless the glad earth鈥� - Chorus

Act 3

Scene 1

  • No. 45 Introduction
  • No. 46 Recitative 鈥楽omnus, awake!鈥� - Juno, Iris
  • No. 47 Aria 鈥楲eave me, loathsome light!鈥� - Somnus
  • No. 48 Recitative 鈥楧ull god, canst thou attend the water鈥檚 fall?鈥� - Iris, Juno
  • No. 49 Aria 鈥楳ore sweet is that name鈥� - Somnus
  • No. 50 Recitative 鈥楳y will obey鈥� - Juno, Somnus
  • No. 51 Duet 鈥極bey my will, thy rod resign鈥� - Juno, Somnus

Scene 2

  • No. 52 Aria 鈥楳y racking thoughts鈥� - Semele

Scene 3

  • No. 53 Recitative 鈥楾hus shaped like Ino鈥� - Juno, Semele
  • No. 54 Aria 鈥楳yself I shall adore鈥� - Semele
  • No. 55 Recitative 鈥楤e wise, as you are beautiful鈥� - Juno, Semele
  • No. 56 Aria 鈥楾hus let my thanks be paid鈥� - Semele
  • No. 57 Recitative 鈥楻ich odours fill the fragrant air鈥� - Juno, Semele

Scene 4

  • No. 58 Aria 鈥楥ome to my arms鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 59 Recitative 鈥極h, Semele! Why art thou thus insensible?鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 60 Aria 鈥業 ever am granting, you always complain鈥� - Semele
  • No. 61 Recitative 鈥楽peak, speak your desire鈥� - Jupiter, Semele
  • No. 62 Symphony
  • No. 63 Recitative 鈥榊ou鈥檒l grant what I require?鈥� - Semele, Jupiter
  • No. 64 Aria 鈥楢h, take heed what you press!鈥� - Jupiter
  • No. 65 Aria 鈥楴o, no I鈥檒l take no less鈥� - Semele

Scene 5

  • No. 66 Recitative 鈥楢h, whither is she gone?鈥� - Jupiter

Scene 6

  • No. 67 Aria 鈥楢bove measure is the pleasure鈥� - Juno

Scene 7

  • No. 68 Recitative 鈥楢h me! Too late I now repent鈥� - Semele

Scene 8

  • No. 69 Recitative 鈥極f my ill-boding dream鈥� - Ino
  • No. 70 Chorus 鈥極h, terror and astonishment!鈥� - Chorus
  • No. 71 Recitative 鈥楬ow I was hence removed鈥� - Ino, Cadmus, Athamas
  • No. 72 Aria 鈥楧espair no more shall wound me鈥� - Athamas
  • No. 73 Recitative 鈥楽ee from above the bellying clouds descend鈥� - Cadmus

Final Scene

  • No. 74 Symphony
  • No. 75 Recitative 鈥楢pollo comes to relieve your care鈥� - Apollo
  • No. 76 Chorus 鈥楬appy, happy shall we be鈥� - Chorus

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

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Scenes

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Guide Written By:

Wendy Silvester

Wendy Silvester

Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.